Review of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'

I saw this the other day in IMAX with the first 15 minutes or so in 3-D. The 3-D does not really add a whole lot to the experience. The only bits of note are the movie titles, which look cool in 3-D, and the whip of the carriage driver…but that is it.

This latest installment sees the hormones fly thick and fast as Harry and Ron seek love amongst the students of Hogwarts. Of course, there is the issue of the book that Harry uses in Potions formerly property of the “Half Blood Prince” (the mystery of whom this might be is summarily dismissed in the climax of the film) which helps him in his studies…But in the meantime Dumbledore is educating Harry on Tom Riddle (Voldemort) but also having Harry befriend Professor Horace Slughorn, the new Potion's professor in order to learn more about Mr. Riddle's friendship with Slughorn…But, mostly, here, we are treated to a serious of unsuccesful relationships amongst Hogwart's pupils…

A dark and relatively boring trip to this fantasy franchise. Enjoyable, certainly but not a lot really happens. Even the climax is an anti-climax, really, drastically reducing the story elements here present in the book (though, of course, the key element remains…no spoilers here though).

Special effects are satisfactory with the rather erratic camera work causing potential nausea in more sensitive viewers. A splash of occasional colour might not go amiss here with greys and blacks in abundance at times to such an extent it is difficult to make out characters…even those not meant to be hidden! Obviously, millions will see this film, but it is not my favourite of the series (far from it).